Yajirobee

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Reading this manga is like waking up in a scenic meadow with warm sunshine and a gentle breeze brushing past you. There's something inherently calming and satisfying about the experience, and you'll leave it feeling somewhat enlightened, glad that you were willing to give it a go.

Balancing Toy is a shoujo manga by Aiji Yamakama, and for those of you who have read 'Tomodachi no Hanashi', you'd be well acquainted with this mangaka's pleasant art style. Unlike the typical shoujo, this one doesn't really have much of a central plot to speak of, nor a goal it's trying to gravitate towards. It's a true ... slice-of-life at heart, with Haru giving us insightful remarks and pieces of her worldview as we observe her everyday life through her perspective. Meeting up with a past childhood friend. Making new acquaintances. Setting up her stepfather's birthday party. These events may seem mundane on paper, but each one reveals just a bit more about the wonderful characters in the story, while feeling incredibly natural and immersing in the process.

This story contains a dash of everything, from familial bonds to friendships to the buds of a teenage romance. It gives a refreshing look at life, adding in just the right amounts of appreciation and kindness amidst playful banter and lighthearted interactions. It's a heartwarming read for when you want to calm down and enjoy your time.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and give this manga a whirl~

This manga is very heartwarming and leaves you with a fluffy feeling once you've finished it~

It's a slice of life, dealing with a young girl called Haru, her stepdad Seiji and their friends and acquaintances and their relationships. The basic story is in itself nothing new, the ending is very open, but works well (especially when compared to the ending of a similar manga, 'usagi drop' and how that wrecked the entire story).

The characters are all very cute and likeable, even Chii-san (Seiji's friend from college and potential love interest), whom I was sceptical about at first, turned out to be very pleasing to watch. ... Haru has a very bubbly personality, which doesn't make the more serious moments unbelievable, but creates a nice atmosphere for the dialogues in the manga. All the characters seem pretty grounded and realistic, all of them being genuinely nice people.

The artwork is outstanding (I love this mangaka's style) and it creates the proper moods for the scenes. One thing that kinda bothered me here and in the mangaka's other work 'Stand Up!, is the way the panneling is done may be very innovative at times, but sometimes the story is hard to follow or it's not clear what character is saying what.


If you like slow paced Slice of Life manga, then this is definetly a good read. It is sadly very short, but at the end that isn't a big problem, because the story hints at what is going to happen afterwards with the characters.

If you plan on reading it online, the last chapter might be hard to find (or it's just 11 pages). I read it on mangahere, but depending on when you read this it might be already taken down.

Still, I hope you enjoy it~!

When I think about it, I probably adored Yajirobee because of my own personal experiences with love and family. But I believe that speaks more to it’s quality. Shoujo manga being emotionally relatable is a rare feat to me, especially when it doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to do so.

The best part of Yajirobee is the focal relationship between step-dad Seiji and foster daughter Haru. They have an extremely casual relationship (Haru almost never calls him “Dad” and it’s weird when he’s labeled as one.) Together they’ve got a charming, heartwarming, witty and inspiring relationship. Haru realizing how much her father has ... been there for her and all he’s sacrificed to be with her is emotional, but also handled with subtlety.

That’s the other great thing about this manga; the subtlety. There’s beauty in the details, and Yajirobee is full of little ones that only enhance the experience on each read. Whether it’s a character’s facial expression, a one-off thought bubble, tiny character details, or the natural progression of emotion, Yajirobee does what it needs to do in it’s short length.

And hey, if you liked this review, check out my Shoujo Manga review blog!
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